The loose-lipped veep played it straight with the uential funnyman, defending the Obama Administration's efforts to pass health care reform and turn around the economy. Stewart, who is known for holding the feet of politicians to the fire with his smart-alec wit, mostly went along with Biden, poking fun at Republicans.

The vice president touted his party's big tent, noting there are "moderates, liberals and conservatives" within the Democrat caucus, Stewart interjected, "And communists," a poke at Republican efforts to marginalize Dems.

Before the show, an NYPD car clearing a path for Biden's motorcade T-boned a livery cab on the West Side of Manhattan. Two detectives and the livery driver were treated and released from a nearby hospital.